Tragic Series of Blasts in Northeastern Nigeria: At Least 18 Dead
At least 18 people have been killed and dozens injured following a series of blasts by suspected female suicide bombers in Nigeria’s northeastern Borno state. These tragic events unfolded on Saturday in the town of Gwoza, which lies across the border from Cameroon. Borno state police spokesman Nahum Kenneth Daso provided further details on Sunday.
The Attacks
Three separate blasts occurred, targeting a wedding, a hospital, and a funeral. One of the attacks, which took place at about 3:45 pm (14:45 GMT), involved a woman carrying a baby on her back who detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) at a crowded motor park. The suicide bombers also attacked a hospital in the same town. Another attack was later carried out at the funeral for the victims of the wedding blast.
Casualties and Injuries
According to agency head Barkindo Saidu, the attacks resulted in 18 deaths, comprising children, men, females, and pregnant women. Nineteen seriously injured people were taken to the regional capital, Maiduguri, while 23 others awaited evacuation. Additionally, a member of a militia assisting the military in Gwoza mentioned that two of their colleagues and a soldier were killed in a separate attack on a security post, although authorities did not immediately confirm these deaths.
Background and Context
Borno, a region the size of Ireland, has been plagued by 15 years of violence, resulting in thousands of deaths and millions of displaced people. Despite the Nigerian military’s efforts to degrade the capabilities of armed groups, deadly attacks against civilians and security targets continue. In 2019, a triple suicide attack claimed 30 lives in the region, marking the deadliest mass killing by suicide bombers that year. The armed groups Boko Haram and its splinter group, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), remain highly active in Borno, frequently deploying young women and girls to carry out suicide attacks. Gwoza was seized by Boko Haram in 2014 during their takeover of swaths of territory in northern Borno.
The recent series of blasts in Gwoza underscores the ongoing security challenges in Nigeria’s Borno state. As the region continues to grapple with violence, the need for effective measures to protect civilians and restore stability remains urgent.
